CAPUTO: Lions using bye week to regroup

At this time in 2011, the Lions were 4-0 and this town hit a fever pitch in anticipation of hosting Monday Night Football for the first time in eons.

Ford Field was insanely loud that night as the Lions raised their record to 5-0 with a decisive 24-13 victory over the Chicago Bears. The Lions recovered relatively quickly from the 0-16 disgrace in 2008.

Flash forward a year later, and the Lions are licking their wounds after a 1-3 start. Rather than gearing up for the franchiseís biggest game in years, the Lions have a bye week and been forced into regrouping mode.

It hasnít just been the Lions have lost, but that they have been defeated in games it had widely been forecast theyíd win. The Titansí lone victory this season was over the Lions. In their other three games, they have been beaten by an average score of 37-12.

The Vikings were the consensus pick to place last in the NFC North. In their only win, the Lions had to rally against the Rams in the season opener.

Only one NFC squad has a worse record than the Lions - the Saints, who ousted the Lions from the playoffs last season. The Lions are last in the NFC North, and facing road trips immediately after the bye week to Philadelphia and Chicago, the latter which is another appearance on Monday Night Football.

Are the Lions done before this season has really started?

No, but the following must change if the Lions are going are going to rally this season:

- Special teams coverage units must improve: With all the analysis of the Lionsí offensive and defensive units entering this season, very little was said or written about their special teams. If anything, they were expected to be improved because they do have young, athletic linebackers and defensive backs. They did sign special teams ace Kassim Osgood during the preseason, and moved veteran safety John Wendling out of the starting lineup, and back to special teams coverage units, after they were burned for two long returns for touchdowns by the Titans.

It didnít matter. Osgood and Wendling were among those who simply didnít make plays as the Lions were scorched for two more long returns Sunday by the Vikings.

If the Lions donít give up those special teams returns, two kickoffs and two punts, for scores, they would very likely be 3-1 rather than 1-3.

- Tight end Brandon Pettigrew needs to play better: The Lionsí tight end should be moving into his prime as a potential Pro Bowl player, setup for success with the Lions because the middle of the field is open, with opposing defensive backs paying so much attention to Calvin Johnson.

Instead of thriving, Pettigrew had a ball ripped out of his hands and returned for a touchdown vs. the Titans, and he dropped a relatively easy TD pass in the Minnesota game. If he doesnít turn it around the next 12 games, Pettigrew will find his way onto the ďAll-BustĒ rather than ďAll-ProĒ team.

- Quarterback Matthew Stafford has to standout: A quarter into the season, Stafford is the 21st rated passer in the NFL. He has thrown just three touchdown passes and been intercepted four times. Last season, Stafford averaged 2.5 touchdown passes per game. Some of the problem is on his receivers (even Calvin Johnson dropped a couple passes vs. the Vikings), but Stafford hasnít been nearly as accurate.

- Play better in the first half: For whatever reason, the Lions have developed a habit of starting games very slowly. They have scored one first-half touchdown all season, and none since the second quarter of the season opener.

Pat Caputo is a senior sports reporter and a columnist for Journal Register Newspapers. Contact him at pat.caputo@oakpress.com and read his blog at theoaklandpress.com. You can follow him on Twitter @patcaputo98